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Too much success can stunt the mind. That can apply to the collective mind of a company just as easily as it can a music artist struggling with that difficult second album.

And back in the late ‘60s, Volkswagen was having exactly this kind of problem with its Beetle.

Not that this famous car was anywhere near reaching its popularity peak in 1967, when a 30% sales slump in its native Germany prompted VW’s management to take the challenge of replacing it a whole lot more seriously.

Although it hadn’t been ignoring the task entirely. During that same year VW revealed a whole heap of prototypes to a press becoming increasingly critical at the absence of a Beetle replacement. In fact, VW had developed no less than 70 potential successors since 1952, but none had made production and all shared the same basic rear-engine layout.

Some had been under development for as long as five years before being abandoned, others were simply styling mock-ups. And what they all pointed to, apart from the waste of millions of pounds-worth of r&d money, was the lack of a solid idea for replacing a car that by 1967, had been in quantity production for 22 years, having started life before WW2.

Hitler’s people carrier

The ‘Strength-through-Joy’ KdF-wagen was commissioned by one Adolf Hitler from Ferdinand Porsche, the Fuhrer keen for the KdF-wagen to become the affordable car of the people. And it actually became that very thing, though not entirely in the way Hitler had envisaged.

A few were produced before and during the conflict, the war-damaged Wolfsburg plant restarted in 1945 by British Army officer and engineer Major Ivan Hirst. In 1948 he handed over the running of the plant to Heinz Nordhoff, an inspirational ex-Opel manager who expanded production and successfully established excellent sales and service networks for VW overseas, most notably the US where for well over a decade, the Beetle became part of the fabric of North American life.

In fact, it was not the only car that Wolfsburg was making. Volkswagen Type 1, as the Beetle was officially known, was joined by Volkswagen Type 2 (pictured above) in 1949, this the almost equally famous Transporter van and its Kombi brother.

And in 1961 came the Volkswagen 1500 saloon (pictured above). It was still rear-engined and air-cooled, like a Beetle, still a two-door and still largely uninterested in ploughing a straight line on a breezy day. Despite this the 1500 did well, the Fastback and Variant estate versions helping it to sales of over three million between 1961-73.

The Beetle replacement, take one…

But the 1500 wasn’t a replacement for the Beetle. Another prototype came close to doing the job in 1960, when project EA97 got to the point where the production machinery to build it was being installed, and the first 100 pilot-build cars had been assembled.

A rear-engined two-door saloon, it was powered by an 1100cc engine and would have competed with the Hillman Imp, Renault 8, Simca 1000, NSU Prinz and Fiat 850, several of these big sellers.

But as author Russell Hayes’ excellent book ‘The Volkswagen Golf Story’ explains, EA97 was reckoned to be too close to the 1500 saloon – they looked pretty similar, besides – and now that VW had bought the Auto Union company, acquiring the Audi 60 saloon in the process, it suddenly had another in-house competitor.

So EA97 was cancelled at the last minute, losing VW yet more millions. But it was making so much money from the Beetle that this mattered a lot less than it would have done for other car companies.

Its next attempt came in the gruesome shape of the 1968 Volkswagen 411, another air-cooled rear-engined car, this time with four doors. Its styling was as tortured as the VW management’s efforts to solve their new Beetle problem, this ugly beast living four short years and selling only 266,000 copies in the process.

By now mild desperation was setting in, Nordhoff’s replacement Kurt Lotz arriving to a largely empty new model cupboard, 411 apart, making him particularly eager for some quick-fix solutions.

Making slow progress

One of those came with Volkswagen’s acquisition of NSU, makers of the little Prinz and the radical rotary-engined Ro80 executive saloon. Sitting between these two was a yet-to-be launched modern, front-wheel drive saloon. Crisply styled and glassy, it was a vast improvement on the 411, if far from as gaze-freezingly handsome as the futuristic Ro80, whose design legacy can still be seen in the Audi saloons of today.

Nevertheless, an eager Volkswagen took this NSU design over, relabelled it the VW K70 (pictured above) and optimistically built a new factory capable of making it at the rate of 500 per day.

But like many hastily conceived plans in the motor industry, the K70 soon hit problems. It was expensive to build, sharing almost no parts with other cars in the group, expensive to buy for the same reason and rust-prone. That slowed, sales, as did VW’s activities within other parts of its empire.

When it bought Audi in the mid ‘60s it was simply to get its hands on another factory in which to build Beetles, because it couldn’t keep up with demand. Audi’s small 60 saloon (pictured above) continued to be made, but product development director Ludwig Kraus was instructed to halt new model development.

Instead he disobeyed, developing a new saloon in secret. It was eventually revealed to VW’s management, who got over their shock and annoyance to approve what became the 1969 Audi 100, pictured above. That car was a big hit, and would eventually keep a money-losing VW afloat, but in the meantime it seriously undermined the appeal of the less than stylish K70 that came a year later, giving VW yet another failure.

Replacing the Beetle bugs VW

If the K70 was a piece of misfiring opportunism, the EA266 prototype (pictured above) was the company’s main attempt to properly replace the Beetle. In fact, it was developed mostly by Porsche, whose engineers produced a hatchback with a water-cooled four cylinder that lay flat beneath the rear seats, to drive a gearbox and differential behind it.

In effect, this was a mid-engined hatchback, and development again advanced to the point of tooling being ordered. But despite its sporty mid-engined layout and Porsche parentage, EA266 apparently had handling issues, besides continuously perfuming its cabin with oily engine vapours via an access panel beneath a rear seat that was expected to get progressively grubbier as mechanics removed it to service the engine.

Nevertheless, EA266 was part of a major management review of VW’s new model plans in May 1969, along with a new front-wheel drive hatchback from Audi, its four-cylinder engine mounted longitudinally, and a similar prototype from VW itself whose front wheels were propelled by a Beetle engine.

It was this car, codenamed EA235, that would eventually lead to the VW Golf that became the Beetle’s real successor. A variation of it, codenamed EA276 (pictured above), can be found in Volkswagen’s museum.

At last: enter the VW Golf!

Neither prototype was a beauty, but one of VW boss Lotz’s best decisions during his brief and troubled career at the helm was to instruct Giorgetto Giugiaro’s ItalDesign to style the car that would become the Golf, pictured in launch guise above.

It would be released in 1974, at the end of seven troubled years that had produced one of the ugliest family cars of the ‘60s in the 411, had proved the riskiness of opportunism with the K70 and ultimately, threatened the very existence of VW itself.

And that’s without including all the abandoned prototypes built between 1952 and 1967, VW beginning its long and painful quest for a successor when the post-war Beetle was only seven years old.

But the lesson was learnt – many of us can count our lives out in Golfs, VW now building the seventh version of this car since 1974. And this multi-brand group is a long way from being dependent on only one model, the mighty Golf one of a number of big sellers.

Past master: the Beetle returns

There is a footnote here. For decades, the original Beetle was moribund. It was still produced in South America for an increasingly diminishing market, but eventually faded away for good in 2003.

Then came the craze for nostalgia, one arguably accelerated by Volkswagen, which showed a ‘modern’ concept version of the original Beetle in 1994, called Concept One. The world swooned. Production for the Californian-designed concept was approved.

1998: the Volkswagen Beetle is back

The New Beetle was introduced in 1998. Ironically, it was based on the platform of the car that sealed its fate back in the 70s, the Volkswagen Golf, but this did ensure it drove well.

Built in Mexico, it was shamelessly retro, taking the original cues of the Beetle and exaggerating them with cartoon-like emphasis: the separate wings, round headlamps and tail lamps, rounded roofline and chunky running boards.

New Beetle cuts a dash

The interior was retro-inspired too. This meant packaging was dreadful, with a tiny boot and cramped, rear seats, but few at the time seemed to mind, because it was so bold. It even came with a vase on the dashboard.

Yes, a vase.

2011: New Beetle take two

Sales clearly convinced Volkswagen it was worth replacing. An all-new car arrived in 2011, with more of a fastback profile to the roofline and a more sophisticated, more practical interior – but still clearly a Beetle.

As with the original New Beetle, this second retro recreation also came in convertible guise, and was later offered with a tiny 1.2-litre petrol engine – the smallest since the original model ceased production. Luckily, it was turbocharged, so wasn’t quite as lethargic as the 1960s models…

Today: the Beetle’s second coming comes to an end

But sales of this second remake never quite took off. And, like the original, soon started to go the wrong way. It seemed the world had moved on: a retro Beetle was nice as a passing fad, but didn’t seem to have staying power.

Rumours had thus circulated for years that this model would be the final Beetle – its second coming would come to an end. On September 13 2018, it was confirmed. The beetle will end production in 2019, 21 years after it returned from the great scrapyard in the sky.

It’s always a rare treat when a manufacturer opens its storage to reveal quirky perfectly-preserved and sometimes hitherto secret machines from its past. Volkswagen is the latest brand cracking open its vaults, if only a bit, to let out some gems for the Classic Days festival to be held at Schloss Dyck in Jüchen from 3 to 5 August.

Six cars have been selected to be brought out for the show – with two rare racing Golf prototypes heading the roster. Take your pick between a Mk3 A59 ‘Rallye’ prototype and the mad twin-engined Mk2 ‘Pikes Peak’.

The Mk3 ‘Rallye’ was a commission from Volkswagen Motorsport back in 1993 and features a 275hp engine. It’s just undergone a serious restoration and is in full working order.

The ‘Pikes Peak’ Mk2, meanwhile, was entered into that year’s running of the famous hillclimb event. Its combined twin-engined output is a heady 652hp – in a Golf! Sochi Kleint – the man to take it up America’s mountain in ’87 – will be reunited with it at the event.

Incidentally, it won’t be the fastest or most famous Pikes Peak racer at the event, with VW wheeling out the incredible record-holding I.D. R for the event.

Also joining the rabid Golfs is an altogether different prototype – a classic and elegant Type 3 convertible.

As for the production cars, don’t assume they’re mundane alternatives. The very rare and exotic SP2 coupe leads the production trio, with a convertible 1303 Beetle and a ‘Yellow and Black Racer’ GSR Beetle joining it.

The SP2 is an exotic South American slice of VW’s past, with the sloped rear-engined coupe being manufactured and sold exclusively in that region, making it a rare sight indeed on European shores.

The GSR was the original ‘hot but not’ people’s car. Not particularly heavily endowed but with aesthetic attitude thanks to the bright yellow paint with matte accents – the R-Line of 1973.

The Austrian town of Reifnitz on the side of Lake Worth, or Worthersee, has hosted the ‘GTI Treffen’ festival for 36 years. Originally a small meet of Volkswagen enthusiasts (just 100 cars attended the first event), more than 100,000 fans from all over Europe now head to the Alps at the end of May. We sent a snapper to the event and captured some of the weird and wacky VWs in attendance.

Mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTI

If Mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTIs are your thing, you’ll be well catered for at Worthersee. The event was first created to celebrate the original GTI, and there are still loads in attendance today. From the original example to modified ones like this bright yellow GTI, we can get behind the subtle look.

Mk3 Volkswagen Golf cabriolet

What were we saying about ‘subtle’? This modified third-generation Golf cabriolet is anything but. There really is something for everyone.

Audi A1

Although predominantly a Volkswagen show, there are other VW Group cars in attendance. Such as this interesting Audi A1, which we can barely see thanks to its camo look.

Audi 100

Brown with gold alloys doesn’t sound like a great look, but it works for us on this Audi 100.

Audi 50

The Audi 50 is what became known as the Volkswagen Polo… and the rest, as they say, is history. This fairly standard and incredibly tidy example received many admiring glances at Worthersee.

Volkswagen Passat Coupe

Remember when Passats were cool? This B1 generation Passat Coupe is closely related to the Audi 80 of the same era.

Mk1 Volkswagen Golf

In a town full of modified Vee-dubs, there’s something very refreshing about a pair of properly mint Mk1 Golfs as the factory intended.

Volkswagen campers

Well, if you’re visiting the Alps for a VW festival, is there a better way of doing it than an old-school VW camper?

Volkswagen Beetle

Thanks to their popularity, classic Volkswagen Beetles are still a relatively common sight on the roads. Plenty made it to Worthersee, including this lovely green example complete with skis on the back.

Volkswagen Polo G40

The Polo G40 is the result of what happened when VW bolted a supercharger to the 1.3-litre engine in the GT. Although it wasn’t incredibly powerful (it produced 115hp), it’d beat both the Fiesta XR2i and Peugeot 205 GTi in the 0-62mph run.

Volkswagen Lupo

Ah, the VW Lupo. Pre-dating the popular Up, the Lupo wasn’t quite the sales success of its successor. They’ve got quite a following in Volkswagen circles, though. This was one of a number of modified examples on show at Worthersee.

Volkswagen Polo Harlequin

You can imagine the meeting that led to the creation of the Volkswagen Polo Harlequin. “We need to give the Polo a sales boost. Let’s launch a special edition. But what can we do with it?” The answer, apparently, was to paint every body panel a different colour. Around 3,800 were made (and presumably sold), including this modified example.

Volkswagen Touran

A Volkswagen Touran people carrier doesn’t seem the obvious choice as a base for a modified car. Name the VW, however, and you’ll probably find a modded version at Worthersee.

Mk2 Volkswagen Golf

We spotted this lovely Mk2 Volkswagen Golf in one of the car parks at Worthersee. The decals suggest it’s an Elite special edition… we don’t know much about it, but feel free to tell us more about it in the comments if you do!

The popular Volkswagen Golf has been updated for 2017 – bringing with it new infotainment systems, more comprehensive safety systems, an all-new TSI petrol engine and DSG gearboxes with more gears. Styling has also been tweaked, but you’ll be hard pushed to notice: the most standout visual update is a vivid new metallic yellow colour.

Trailed by Volkswagen for weeks, the revisions to the Golf are detailed but not earth-shattering. It’s the upgraded infotainment systems that the firm’s keenest to stress – every unit in the range is new.

Basic Golfs get a higher-res 6.5in colour touchscreen instead of the old black and white system. The next level up now uses an 8.0in screen, and there’s now an even larger 9.2in ‘Discover Pro’ system with a super-high-res screen and, for the first time in this sector, gesture control.

Spot this new high-end Discover Pro system from its Apple-like full-width glass surface.

On the safety front, traffic jam assist allows the Golf to semi-autonomously drive itself in traffic (so long as you have all the options necessary, including a DSG gearbox). Emergency assist can spot if the driver has blacked out or fallen asleep and, if they don’t respond, will emergency-stop the car. The city emergency braking system also now detects pedestrians as well as other cars.

Those who tow will like the new Golf: it’s the first family hatch to have trailer assist, that semi-autonomously reverses a car hitched to a trailer. Park assist is also more intelligent and offers more driverless functionality.

Volkswagen is very proud of the ignition key now saving settings for individual drivers, including preferred climate control settings, instrument setups and driver’s seat adjustments. The fancy fully-electronic instruments first seen in the Audi TT are now offered in the Golf as well.

From the outside, new Golfs are not immediately apparent. The bumpers have been redesigned, full LED tail lamps are standard and xenon headlights have been junked in favour of full LED units. The front wings are new, there are fresh wheel choices and, inside, new trims and fabrics.

It’s the Golf GTI that’s perhaps the most visually evolved. The red bits in its headlights have been revised, and those units are now standard dual LED lamps. The Golf GTI has more power as well: 230hp as standard, 245hp for the GTI performance.

There’s no mention of the dreaded TDI diesels in the 2017 Golf press kit, but a new 1.5-litre TSI ‘Evo’ engine is highlighted. In regular guise, this engine has 150hp and is fitted with ACT cylinder deactivation so turns into a two-cylinder during light loads. This helps trim fuel consumption to 57.6mpg combined, and CO2 goes down to 110g/km.

A 1.5 TSI Evo Bluemotion has a power chop to 130hp, but CO2 also falls to 104g/km: it averages 61.4mpg. The engine also has a variable geometry turbo – an impressive addition for a petrol car – and runs on a new combustion cycle similar to the eco-focused Miller Cycle. Oh, and when the driver releases the accelerator, the engine shuts down, as part of an extended coasting function. Previously, only hybrids have been able to do this: the real-world economy gains will be significant, promises Volkswagen.

Ageing six-speed DSG gearboxes will also be replaced by seven-speed units, further cutting CO2.

2017 Volkswagen Golf: prices and on-sale date

The Mk7.5 Golf is set to go on sale in March, with prices on average £650 less than its predecessor across the range. That’s despite the higher levels of standard kit, including improved infotainment systems on all models, and LED rear lights.

The entry-level 1.0-litre Golf S 85hp three-door retains its £17,625 starting price – making it cheaper than the entry-level Honda Civic (£18,235) but more expensive than the Ford Focus (£16,445).

Volkswagen’s diesel hot hatch, the Golf GTD, starts at £28,480 – an increase of more than £1,500 over the outgoing model, while the GTI rises to £27,865 (a small rise from £27,495). The flagship Golf R remains at £31,865.

Driving impressions

We’ve driven the 2017 Volkswagen Golf at its European launch event in Majorca, and can confirm the minor changes have secured its place amongst the best in class. The new 1.5-litre TSI engine in particular is a gem, with 150hp on tap and a 130hp Bluemotion version available for extra green credentials (and none of the nastiness associated with VW diesels).

Even combining the 1.4’s replacement with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, it packs a punch and is fun to drive without the ‘thrumminess’ of the three-cylinder 1.0-litre. It’s a really likeable engine that might make some think again about defaulting to a diesel Golf.

The new infotainment system is easy to use, while the minor changes to the Golf’s design mean it stills looks fresh (if not exciting). We even like the new Turmeric Yellow colour…

Electric car sales are growing year-on-year, by double-digit amounts. As concerns over city centre emissions grow, and the threat of penalties for combustion engines grows (diesel cars are particularly vulnerable here), many are now looking at electric vehicles (EVs) in a new light.

So is this the year to go electric?

Of course, traditionally, high-tech electric cars have not been cheap. Enter the government’s Plug-in-Car Grant. On electric cars with a range of at least 70 miles, this is worth £4,500 off the recommended retail price (the prices listed here are all pre-Plug-in Car Grant). List prices themselves are also becoming more affordable as sales gain critical mass.

Incremental improvements in battery technology are also stretching the range enough to make them a genuine option for most people. In the early days of EVs, you’d struggle to get 100 miles from a full charge. Now, you can get well over 150 miles from some models, and one real-world choice now claims a 250-mile range. The compromise-free EV is almost here.

In such a fast-growing sector, which are the models you should be looking at? Here, we’ve picked out 10 of the most significant EVs, and ranked them. We’ve also included key specs for driving range, battery size and price. All have their zero-emissions strengths, but some are better than others – particularly when you factor in range and price.

Hyundai Ioniq

Range: 174 miles

Battery size: 28kWh

Price: £28,995 (Premium)

The fresh-faced Hyundai Ioniq is a car available in three flavours: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full EV. Here, we’re looking at the pure electric Ioniq, which is priced from an affordable £28,995. The claimed range is up to 174 miles, which is more than the class-leading Nissan Leaf. Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty is extended further for the electric bits here – they’re covered for eight years and 125,000 miles.

Renault Zoe

Range: 250 miles

Battery size: 41kWh

Price: £28,695 (i-Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge)

The Renault Zoe is a supermini electric car that’s both brilliant and badly flawed in equal measure. The brilliant bit is the stupendous range of this Z.E.40 model – a new 41kWh battery has stretched it to a Tesla-like 250 miles. But then, Renault has long eradicated the consumer appeal of this with its silly battery hire scheme, meaning you have to fork out £70 a month on top of the list price (or finance cost). The i-branded models cure this by including the battery in the asking price. Trouble is, they mean the asking price of this small EV is the same as the more-family-sized Ioniq EV…

Nissan Leaf

Range: 155 miles

Battery size: 30kWh

Price: £30,290 (Acenta 30kWh)

The first mass-market electric car on sale in Britain is getting on a bit these days, but is a deservedly familiar sight. It was enhanced a little while ago with a larger-capacity 30kWh battery, taking the range up to 155 miles. That’s an improvement on the old 24kWh car, and will give existing owners a nice upgrade come trade-in time. It’s also built in Britain, for patriotic appeal. These days, it’s not the class-leader in terms of range or ability, but it’s still competitive.

BMW i3

Range: 195 miles

Battery size: 33kWh

Price: £32,330 (94Ah)

The ultra-clever BMW i3 looks like nothing else, is made from lightweight carbon fibre and is a Tardis-like car that still drives like a real BMW. Trouble is, it’s perhaps a bit too quirky for some; what works in trendy parts of London might not quite be so appealing in rural Dorset. This 2017 model does have a big new battery, though – taking the range up to nearly 200 miles. And the car’s clever engineering means you stand a decent chance of achieving that, too.

Volkswagen e-Golf

Range: 118 miles

Battery size: 24.2kWh

Price: £31,680

There’s a facelifted Volkswagen e-Golf coming soon, but we’re still recommending this one if you’re able to strike a sharp deal with a retailer. It doesn’t have the biggest battery or the largest range in the family class, but it’s still a Golf, and that counts for a lot. It’s nice to drive and will always sell on for decent money. A few thousand pounds off will solve the issue of that list price, too…

Kia Soul EV

Range: 132 miles

Battery size: 27kWh

Price: £29,995

The quirky Kia Soul EV is an electric car that’s a bit different. Probably too different for many, but early adopters who like to stand out might love it. The range is decent and it’s extremely practical inside for five, while a fulsome level of standard kit means you shouldn’t feel short-changed by the sub-£30k list price.

Tesla Model S 60

Range: 253 miles

Battery size: 60kWh

Price: £65,680 (Model S 60)

We have to include the mighty Tesla Model S here, despite even the basic car costing a whopping £65,000. That’s because it’s a genuine luxury car that’s shaken up the electric car market ever since its launch. The range is long, performance is stupendous and the interior, dominated by that famous touchscreen, is superb. Pity new car buyers no longer get free charges from the ever-growing Supercharger network.

Volkswagen e-Up

Range: 99 miles

Battery size: 18.7kWh

Price: £25,280

Volkswagen has recently facelifted the little e-Up. Frankly, while able, it’s a bit too expensive for what it is: a tiny city car with a sub-100-mile range. The Plug-in Car Grant helps, but it’s still more than £20k – you can get a petrol-engined Up for less than £10k. Despite this, it’s a likeable and able car that drives well and serves as a nice introduction to electric motoring.

Renault Twizy

Range: 62 miles

Battery size: 6.1kWh

Price: £6,895 (Expression)

One of the cheapest cars on sale in Britain is also a fully-electric one. The Twizy is rather compromised, of course: it’s a quadricycle, so doesn’t meet the same standards of refinement (or, as Euro NCAP pointed out, crash safety) as a normal car. The range is also just 62 miles, and it’s so slow, it can’t even clock a 0-60mph time because it can’t reach 60mph. Still, for those who want a cheap electric car runabout they can park anywhere, it’s still worth a look.

Smart ed

Range: 99 miles

Battery size: 17.2kWh

Price: TBC

One of the freshest EVs on the UK new car market is the soon-to-be-launched Smart ed range. Because we don’t yet have prices, we can’t yet fully judge its competitiveness – but the range is looking OK for a city car and the manoeuvrability of the Fortwo two-seater is peerless. There’s now even a Forfour ed for those who need a city-friendly five-door four-seater.

Forget the AMG GT R: the latest ‘sports car’ from Mercedes-Benz is even more exclusive. The (deep breath) Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf Car is the result of a competition to design the golf cart of the future.

A 3 kw electric motor comes from Garia, and gives a range of 50 miles – more than enough to cover 18 holes. Top speed is a heady 19 mph, which should test the double wishbone suspension, rear spoiler and carbon fibre diffuser to their limits. Or, at the very least, make sure you get to the clubhouse before lunch.

However, it’s the design of this aptly-named Style Edition that really sets it apart. Hawkish headlamps, a Mercedes-style grille and five-spoke alloys are features more often seen on passenger cars, while the carbon fibre roof resembles a ‘sporty baseball cap’. Apparently.

The interior of the cart is equally high-tech, with an iPad-style touchscreen that displays information such as speed, range and power use. ‘Drivers’ can also switch between ‘eco’ or ‘sport’ modes, or – if they feel like taking it easy – listen to the Bluetooth audio system with a chilled drink from the fridge under the bench seat.

So, is the Mercedes-Benz golf cart below par or a hole-in-one? The German marque has only produced two ‘show’ examples so far, but public reaction will determine its fate. One thing is for sure, it won’t be cheap.

Interestingly, Mercedes says the cart has all the necessary features (lights, indicators, etc) to make it road legal in the USA. Expect to see Kim Kardashian whizzing silently around LA very soon…

Forget the AMG GT R: the latest ‘sports car’ from Mercedes-Benz is even more exclusive. The (deep breath) Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf Car is the result of a competition to design the golf cart of the future.

A 3 kw electric motor comes from Garia, and gives a range of 50 miles – more than enough to cover 18 holes. Top speed is a heady 19 mph, which should test the double wishbone suspension, rear spoiler and carbon fibre diffuser to their limits. Or, at the very least, make sure you get to the clubhouse before lunch.

However, it’s the design of this aptly-named Style Edition that really sets it apart. Hawkish headlamps, a Mercedes-style grille and five-spoke alloys are features more often seen on passenger cars, while the carbon fibre roof resembles a ‘sporty baseball cap’. Apparently.

The interior of the cart is equally high-tech, with an iPad-style touchscreen that displays information such as speed, range and power use. ‘Drivers’ can also switch between ‘eco’ or ‘sport’ modes, or – if they feel like taking it easy – listen to the Bluetooth audio system with a chilled drink from the fridge under the bench seat.

So, is the Mercedes-Benz golf cart below par or a hole-in-one? The German marque has only produced two ‘show’ examples so far, but public reaction will determine its fate. One thing is for sure, it won’t be cheap.

Interestingly, Mercedes says the cart has all the necessary features (lights, indicators, etc) to make it road legal in the USA. Expect to see Kim Kardashian whizzing silently around LA very soon…

Was the key reason for creating the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S to secure the Nürburgring Nordschleife record for a front-drive hot hatch, I ask Karsten Schebsdat, the ex-Porsche dynamics guru who’s led this project? He nods. That, he says, is why the board signed off the project. “We knew we had a good idea on how to get it; the board agreed and gave us the cash to go do it.”

The seeds were sown back in summer 2013, when Schebsdat’s team ran some tests on a Golf GTI Performance Pack (the 230hp model) running fancy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres: semi-slicks that are about as close to road-legal racing rubber as you can get. The speed step-up was extraordinary, he says. But what more could we do, he and his team then thought…

By October, the 2.0-litre TSI engine was up to 300hp and the first suspension tuning work was complete. Come May 2014, the car had some new downforce-generating wings and spoilers (although the original monster rear spoiler actually proved too big…). It got fancy new suspension bits in March 2015 and, by May, was 30kg lighter and running its first tests. If you drove public laps of the Nürburgring that summer, you may have seen it testing.

The car was ready. All they needed was the lap record, to complete the project (and keep the bosses happy). The Clubsport S was to be revealed at the 2016 Worthersee show, as part of a Golf GTI 40th anniversary special – but, once Nordschleife speed restrictions were lifted, VW’s first private track booking in March was rained off. The only chance they had to do it was at another rush-booked session in April: if anything went wrong, that was it. No pressure.

In the end, the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S, in the hands of VW driver Benny Leuchter, aced it. They did three or four laps below 7 minutes 50 seconds, and one in 7:49.24. More than a second faster than the Honda Civic Type R. The limited-to-400 car, due in the UK this winter for around £35,000, was validated. And now we’ve driven it around the Nürburgring to find out just what it’s like to drive.

It looks subtle, like a Golf Clubsport

Visually, you won’t spot the record-breaking Golf at first glance. The engineering work is concentrated beneath the surface: on top, the Clubsport S uses the same all-new front bumper and enlarged rear roof spoiler as the ‘regular’ special-run Golf Clubsport (the UK gets 1,000 of those, compared to only 150 of the S). The unique bits are the 19-inch alloys, black roof, tinted rear glass and ‘Clubsport S’ graphics on the rear of the side sills.

The Clubsport S is also two-door only: unlike Honda and Ford, Volkswagen has a two-door version of its Golf family hatch, and it’s exploiting the slightly stiffer, slightly lighter advantage here. As it’s arrived in the Golf GTI’s 40th year, colours hark back to the original choice: either red, white or black.

It is a two-seater

Inside, to save weight, Volkswagen has got rid of the rear seats. And the parcel shelf. And the fancy flexible boot floor. And soundproofing pads fitted to the inside of the bodyshell during production. And fitted a smaller battery. In all, the kerb weight is cut to 1,360kg, pretty light by modern car standards, considering it’s still a Golf and isn’t packed with carbon fibre this and aluminium that to push up the price unrealistically.

So for all its GTI-stripe seatbelts, brilliantly hip-hugging bucket seats and race-like Alcantara steering wheel, it’s the fact there are no seats behind you, just a huge open space, that makes this Golf feel special to sit in. And not dissimilar to a race car. There’s never been a production Golf like this before and, for the company, it’s a big step to series-produce a Golf GTI with two fewer seats than a Porsche 911. But such is the purpose and intent of this very special limited-run machine.

Don’t whatever you do choose the one without air con though. It’s a no-cost option and, yes, going without saves 20kg and theoretically makes it a tiny bit faster and freer-revving thanks to the lack of drag on the engine. But sweating behind the wheel isn’t very modern Golf-like. The rest of it is so well-developed, this is a step too far. Purists can argue over it but we’re sticking with a/c.

It has a wickedly fast engine

The tuned EA888 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine produces 310hp and 280lb ft of torque. It starts pulling from 1,700rpm and maximum drive is yours until 5,300rpm; peak power is from 5,800 – 6,500rpm. 0-62mph takes 5.3 seconds and, at 165mph, this is the fastest Golf ever (and the first not to have a 155mph speed limiter). It’s the same setup as used by the Golf GTI TCR racing car, compete with modified exhaust whose bigger pipework pops, bangs and crackles wickedly under braking (made all the more prominent by no rear seats and less soundproofing).

This glorious engine is wonderful. Exceptionally free revving, the noise at higher revs is rorty, prominent and turbine-smooth, throttle response is exceptional and the effervescence is akin to the sparky Mk2 Golf GTI 16v, albeit with twice as much power and leagues-ahead engine muscle.

Because torque is spread so wide, and it’s so willing to rev, it’s always indecently fast. No demand to be in the right gear at the right time here (good job: it’s manual only). It’s forgiving and seems happy to always demonstrate to you how fast it is – never mind the Golf GTI, this is a step on even from the Golf R, certainly in terms of how much satisfaction you draw from all this speed.

The tyres are key to it all

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres are where it starts with the Clubsport S. They have lots more traction and grip, and they also respond much more quickly to inputs: right away, the car feels more focused, sharper, pointier and more alert to small steering inputs. The initial layer of ‘sneeze factor’ softness in the steering is reduced: turning forces build much more quickly here. An extra bit of weight is nice, too.

The mechanical grip of the Clubsport S allows you to lean on it almost perilously hard on a Nürburgring hot lap and it rarely cries enough. When it does, the controllability and ‘feel’ during a slide is extra-enhanced: even here, it feels keyed in and heroic, without the sliding softness of the regular car. The tyres quickly nibble back at the road surface to grip again: they make you feel like a racer, or certainly someone who knows what they’re doing.

Go faster to feel better

Despite its bodykit, the regular Golf GTI generates 60kg of lift at speed. You don’t want this, as it makes cars nervous and slip-prone. The Clubsport S generates 25kg of downforce at speed, with most of that on the rear axle. It’s pushed into the ground – and the faster you go, the more it’s pushed down.

The effects are particularly felt over 70mph. Bit of a problem for UK road laws but, on a circuit like the Nürburgring, another reason why the Clubsport S feels so great at speed. The confidence you have from the more clamped-down feel of the back end calms the nerves and makes you happier to press on.

The Clubsport S also has a trick electronically-controlled differential which manages power delivery: if it’s about to be spun away on one side of the car, the diff lock effect channels it to the other side with more grip. Drive it fast but tentatively around the ‘Ring and you might get understeer – but this isn’t naturally an understeer-prone car. So try more throttle: plant the accelerator around that third-gear sweep, to feel the diff bite and the front end pulled into the corner rather than washing out of it. Brilliantly effective, hilariously satisfying.

The steering doesn’t squirm like a snake under power

310hp and diesel-like pulling power, all delivered through the front wheels only? A recipe for arm-snapping torque steer through the wheel, surely? Nope. It’s amazing how little wheel fight there is from the Clubsport S under power. It bites the tarmac rather than bites your arm off.

There’s serious electronic trickery at work here in the differential to quell this, explains Schebsdat, and sheer mechanical grip of the Michelin tyres also helps. It means the ability to effectively deliver 310hp without the extra weight and complexity of a Golf R’s four-wheel drive. The Clubsport S benefits from this purity: this is what makes it distinct from the similar-power Golf R.

The Clubsport S is brilliant at kerb-hopping

Those who say cars developed at the Nürburgring are all ultra-stiff road-racers are wrong. To go fast here, you need controlled but compliant suspension. The small Clubsport S team has spent thousands of man hours tuning the DCC dynamic chassis control adaptive dampers to achieve this – and have even created a bespoke Nürburgring setting to do it. (Yes, it has a Nürburgring button, albeit a virtual one).

In this mode, everything is set to sport apart from the dampers, which go to comfort mode. So there’s both control when the body’s moving, but also the ability to absorb the monster inputs delivered by the ‘Ring’s bumps, cambers and undulations (this mode should also be perfect for twisty, broken-up British B-roads, adds Schebsdat).

A hot lap following Leuchter demonstrates this. “Use the kerbs” he shouts on the radio, before pretty much driving entirely over them at 95mph. Wow. I do the same. Wow! It’s miraculous – the Clubsport S absorbs the shocking forces amazingly, but remains planted and in control, even when I land hard off them.

This is an amazing level of suspension compliance and control that truly sets the Golf apart from stiffer, more racecar-like rivals such as the Honda Civic Type R and Renault Sport Megane 275. Suspension dampers almost have the depth, ability and tailored, other-level feel of a racing car and the Clubsport S is hugely satisfying and able as a result.

Bespoke detail overload

Volkswagen has done a proper job with the Golf GTI Clubsport S. Detail engineering abounds: there are bespoke front suspension knuckles, an aluminium subframe, modified rear suspension bushes. Toe and camber angles front and rear are unique. Brakes have new pads and aluminium rotors for better feel and heat management.

Schebsdat explains it’s the tiny details that make the big differences. The Clubsport S is packed with them, which is why it feels so special to drive. Fast, yes, but also with a custom-developed character that you feel with each input into the firm, weighty Alcantara steering wheel, each movement from the suspension, even every time you just lightly brush the brakes to balance the car through a 100mph Nordschleife curve.

This isn’t a car that’s just happened upon a Nürburgring lap record. And it feels it.

It’s the fastest Golf ever but is still a Golf

So it’s very fast, very able and has hidden depths. But while this 1-of-400 Golf is unlike any other Golf ever, it’s still a Golf. It’s still linear and faithful, has no nasty tricks up its sleeve, won’t bite you if you relax for a second, or get a corner wrong (and if you happen to be following a racing driver when you do so, the spread of engine drive and amount of grip available helps you catch the pack without getting too ragged and edgy).

Schebsdat explains the brief is always to develop VW cars with the firm’s DNA. You can chase records all day long with bespoke engineering but if it’s a VW, if it doesn’t feel like a VW, it’s out.

And this is perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Clubsport S: it’s the fastest hot hatch around the Nürburgring but doesn’t feel like it’s had to be custom-built or compromised to achieve this. This is an indecently fast, involving and capable Golf GTI, but other Golf GTI drivers will still find plenty that feels familiar.

This makes it a Nürburgring lap record car that doesn’t demand you be a racer to get the best from it – and it certainly won’t frighten you silly if you try a hot lap yourself. Approachable but not edgy yet still engaging and satisfying: just how you’d want an ultra-quick Golf GTI to be.

Verdict: 2016 Golf GTI Clubsport S

Yes, the Golf GTI Clubsport S is fantastic. It’s already the best in its class: no rival is (yet) faster than this around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. But it’s so much more than just a lap record special – it’s the extent to which Volkswagen has created a fully-formed Golf GTI with such a breadth of talent that makes it so special.

This is the fastest and most capable Golf GTI ever, but it’s still a Golf GTI. And it’s this approachability, combined with its speed and engagement, that makes it such an impressive achievement. It’s quite the 40th birthday celebration for the original hot hatch, that’s for sure.

For:

Exceptional speed, depth and ability…

…Delivered in an exceptionally linear and Golf-like way

Very desirable, very pleasing limited-run car

Against:

They’re only making 400

No air con is a step too far

The fact we can’t yet get these transformative changes in a series Golf GTI

he Nurburgring is the world’s most notorious racetrack. Its 13 miles of tortuously twisty tarmac serve as a proving ground for new cars – with manufacturers competing to set the lowest lap times.

As Volkswagen launches its new track-oriented new Golf Clubsport S, we’re celebrating the 10 fastest hot hatchbacks ever to lap the Nurburgring. Let the countdown commence…

10. Volkswagen Golf R32

Lap time: 8min 53.0sec

Golf GTI not fast enough? In 2003, Volkswagen launched the 240hp Golf R32, with the 250hp Mk5 version seen here following in 2005. It boasted a 3.2-litre VR6 engine and four-wheel drive.

Lapping the Nurburgring in less than nine minutes is no mean feat for a car as comfortable and family-focused as the Golf R32. Interestingly, the car was actually faster to 62mph (6.2sec) when fitted with Volkswagen’s DSG semi-automatic gearbox.

9. Vauxhall Astra VXR Nurburgring

Lap time: 8min 35.0sec

A dedicated Nurburgring special edition? Yep, and Vauxhall built 835 of them to celebrate the car’s 8min 35sec lap time. A Corsa VXR Nurburgring followed in 2011.

For £1,500 more than the standard VXR, you got an extra 15hp, a Remus exhaust, white alloy wheels and lots of stickers. Alternatively, replicate the look yourself with one of those two-quid Nurburgring stickers off eBay…

8. Ford Focus ST (2005)

Lap time: 8min 35.0sec

Fast and (usually) orange, the original Focus ST matched the 8min 35sec time of its arch-rival Astra. Its 225hp five-cylinder engine came from Volvo and is famously thirsty when driven hard.

Today, you can buy estate and diesel versions of the ST, but the 2005 original remains our favourite. Like many fast Fords, it’s a bit rough around the edges, but it’s more characterful than a contemporary Golf GTI.

7. Ford Focus RS

Lap time: 8min 26.0sec

Brightly-coloured fast Fords, you say? Meet the daddy. The Mk2 Focus RS is a modern classic, with in-yer-face styling and a mighty 305hp turbocharged four-pot.

Ford hasn’t attempted the ’Ring in the latest (Mk3) Focus RS yet. However, with 350hp, it’s likely to be even quicker. We reckon the Ultimate Green paint seen here is worth a least 10 seconds off the lap time….

6. Renault Megane RS R26.R

Lap time: 8min 16.90sec

Meet the first in a string of ever-faster Renault Meganes competing for top honours at the Nurburgring. The R26.R was the most extreme version of the ‘shaking that ass’ Mk2 Megane. Only 450 were made.

This isn’t your typical hot hatchback. The stripped-out R26.R has no rear seats, passenger airbags or radio. Crucially, it came shod with super-sticky Michelin or Toyo tyres, which were biased for track (and dry weather) use.

5. Renault Megane RS Trophy

Lap time: 8min 7.97sec

Another Megane, this time the – even faster – third-generation car. The limited-edition RS Trophy boasted 265hp and a top speed of nearly 160mph. Heady stuff for a hot hatch.

More impressive, though, was the Trophy’s ability to go around corners. It lapped the Nurburgring in 8min 7.97sec – without resorting to the extreme weight-loss measures of its R26.R predecessor.

4. SEAT Leon Cupra

Lap time: 7min 58.4sec

Spanish carmaker SEAT is known for breaking ’Ring records – its Leon ST Cupra 280 is currently the fastest estate to lap the track. The hatchback Cupra can’t make that claim, but it still edges under eight minutes.

The record-breaking (at the time) Leon was fitted with beefed-up Brembo brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres – both available as part of SEAT’s Performance Pack option. The Cupra has since gained an extra 10hp, potentially making it even quicker.

3. Renault Megane RS 275 Trophy-R

Lap time: 7min 54.36sec

Our third Megane – and the fastest to date – is the RS 275 Trophy-R. The car was developed in response to SEAT breaking the front-wheel-drive record with the Leon Cupra 280, and it succeeded in taking the title back.

The 2014 Trophy-R was a serious performance machine with race-style Ohlins dampers, bigger front brakes and polycarbonate Recaro seats. With no air conditioning or radio, it’s more suited to track days than trips to Tesco.

2. Honda Civic Type R

Lap time: 7min 50.63sec

As a statement of intent, launching a new hot hatch by setting a 7min 50.63sec Nurburgring lap time takes some beating. The bodykitted Civic really is as fast as its furious styling suggests.

Honda set its lap time with a car ‘in a standard state of tune’. However, it did admit removing ‘equipment such as air conditioning, the front passenger seat and audio equipment’ in order to ‘offset the additional weight of a full roll cage (installed specifically for safety reasons and not to add rigidity)’.

1. Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S

Lap time: 7min 49.21sec

That brings us to the current Nurburgring record-holder: the VW Golf GTI Clubsport S. Built to mark 40 years of the Golf GTI, the 310hp hatchback has been dubbed ‘the GT3 of GTIs’.

The Clubsport S is even quicker than the four-wheel-drive Golf R and only 400 will be made. Thank a strict weight-saving diet, including a smaller battery, less sound deadening and no rear seats. Hey, nobody said giant-killing hot hatches had to practical.

As the BMW International Open tees off in Germany this week, we see – once again – that the bond between professional golf and the automotive industry remains as strong as ever. In fact, taking football and the Olympics out of the equation, golf is one of the major benefactors of sponsorship investment from carmakers.

For the brand, the benefits are obvious. In the days and weeks leading up to a major tournament, the back pages and sports channels are filled with coverage, with the the editors and presenters obliged to mention the brand as part of the tournament’s name. Indeed, some brands become intrinsically linked with the competition. The Volvo PGA still rolls off the tongue, despite the Swedish carmaker calling time on its link with the PLG Championship in 2004.

Volvo was the first overall corporate sponsor of the European Tour, but despite remaining active in the sport, especially in the Far East, it saw greater long-term potential with sailing. Volvo’s approach to assessing new sponsorship opportunities is simple – DISC, or Does It Sell Cars?

Volvo has been involved in UK sailing since 2001 and invested heavily during the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics. By investing in grass roots and youth sailing, Volvo prepares for the future. The result is that a sailor or someone actively involved with sailing is seven times more likely to buy a Volvo than the average man in the street. It also helps that Volvo offers a significant discount to the 100,000 or so members of the RYA.

Porsche adds golf to its sponsorship portfolio

But back to golf, which continues to attract significant levels of investment. Earlier this year, Porsche announced it will become a title sponsor of the European Open taking place in Bavaria this September. Speaking about the decision to invest in golf, Bernhard Maier of Porsche AG said:

“We have been looking all over the world before entering into professional golf…and in the end, as a sports car producer with a long tradition, we consciously decided in favour of the European Open.

“Last year alone we saw 8,000 customers line up for the 150 tournaments around the world. This constantly rising enthusiasm shows that golf presents us with another ideal opportunity to increase the loyalty of our existing customers, attract new target groups to the Porsche brand and strengthen the sporting core of our brand.”

With the increasing popularly, not to mention importance, of the Cayenne, Panamera and Macan, the shift into golf makes a great deal of sense for a brand more associated with motorsport and tennis.

A recent global sponsorship analysis showed that the car industry is now spending $1.285 million on general sports, with Toyota’s involvement with the Olympics, Chevrolet’s shirt deal with Manchester United and Nissan’s investment in the UEFA Champions League and Rio 2016 being the headline act. Quite what the recent alleged corruption at FIFA will do for Hyundai’s and Kia’s involvement in world football remains unclear.

The demand for luxury cars, especially in emerging markets such as China and the Middle East, means that sponsorship managers are climbing over each other to get involved with golf, tennis and sailing. The report highlights Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Cadillac as the big-hitters in this area.

Golfers need transportation

But the relationship between carmakers and golf is nothing new. An article on the Golf Today website takes us back to 1958, the year in which General Motors created the Buick Open at Warwick Hills, Michigan. In a message to spectators in the tournament programme, Buick’s general manager, E.T. Ragsdale, explained the rationale behind the move:

Which is a refreshingly honest approach to sponsorship. Honda employed a similar thought process when the Honda Classic was created at Palm Beach Gardens in 1982. Speaking about the sponsorship of the PGA Tour event, Dick Colliver, American Honda’s executive vice president in charge of sales and marketing, said at the time:

“The demographics of the viewing audience are exactly what we are looking at to build awareness for the Honda Classic. You get golfers around the world who are watching the tournament and talking about it, and at the same time you’re reaching them with messages about your product.”

You only need to look at this photo from the BMW International Open to see what Colliver was talking about. Banners, flags and even a floating sign leave you in little doubt as to who is behind this golf tournament. Naturally, BMW has created a BMW Customer Lounge for its VIP guests, but there will be millions of armchair golfers tuning in to watch the event live on television.

History is littered with dozens of similar events, including the Mercedes Championships in Hawaii, the Nissan Open in Los Angeles, the Chrysler Classic and the Volvo China Open. Groups within golf can also be targeted, as demonstrated by the Volvo Cross Country Challenge of 2005, in which Volvo could focus on their ‘female target group’.

Carmakers want a slice of the golf pie

The fact is, carmakers know that the majority of golfers have a high level of disposable income and will need a car to get to their chosen club. Automotive websites ‘reach out’ to golfers, telling them how much they love the sport.

Mercedes-Benz is ‘immensely proud of its long-standing involvement with the sport’, referencing the Masters in April, the Open Championship in July, the PGA Championship and the MercedesTrophy, which attracts 60,000 amateur golfers from over 60 countries.

Not to be left out, Hyundai points to the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii as its way to encourage golfers to trade-in their luxury vehicle in exchange for a Genesis, Equus or Santa Fe.

But it’s not all rosy for the sport. Earlier this year, Volvo announced it would be withdrawing from the World Match Play Championship and the Golf Champions event in South Africa to focus solely on the Volvo China Open. It left the future of the tournaments in doubt as the organisers searched for new backers.

Of course, the relationship between golf and cars extends to a player-level, too. Last year, a British golfer shot a hole-in-one and won himself a new BMW i8 in the process. It took place at the BMW International Open and James Heath was understandably delighted with his prize.

Meanwhile, Ferrari doesn’t need to invest in corporate sponsorship, because it has a walking brand ambassador in the shape of Ian Poulter. Having bought a Tailor Made Ferrari FF in 2012, the Brit was one of a select group of customers invited to order a LaFerrari, an opportunity he accepted with open arms.

So it would appear that the sport’s relationship with the car goes much deeper than working out if you’ll be able to fit a set of clubs in the boot of your new luxury saloon.

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